Standing prominent above Old Istanbul and its waterfront, Topkapi Palace is an immense1 structure with a long and regal history – from its role as the centre of the Ottoman Empire, to its current operation as a museum housing sacred Muslim relics. Initially constructed in the mid-15th century and expanded in subsequent centuries by different rulers, the palace is centred on four principal courtyards which are divided by high walls intended to ensure the privacy of those inside. The courtyards are surrounded by hundreds of buildings, beyond which are gardens and wooded areas and walls separating it from…